Veterans Bridge Home Salute to Service Lounge
Veterans Bridge Home Salute to Service Lounge | Charlotte, NC
Veterans Bridge Home, a Charlotte-based organization whose mission is to build a strong community by supporting veterans in transition, invited DPR to participate in a project to construct a community work lounge known as the Salute to Service Lounge. The project, integral to their mission of helping veterans navigate employment and create social connections, included demolition and build back of open office and private office areas and building a new work lounge. The work also included finish updates to existing offices and minor modifications to an existing breakroom.
Veteran Workforce
Not only did Veterans Bridge Home hope to create a new facility to benefit their organization, the goal was to build the project with as many Veteran owned businesses and Veteran workers as possible. The team implemented a three-tiered approach to veteran involvement. Tier 1 focused on a veteran work force so the actual craft workers on site were veterans to the fullest extent possible, with 35% veteran participation. The second tier focused on veteran owned business and Veterans Bridge Home Community Champions such as the millwork, signage, and carpeting vendors. The third tier included the DPR project team of veterans. This highly effective team was made up of DPR, EIG and Self-perform folks in key roles. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting joined the project as well and continued three years of ongoing work with DPR.
Focused on team building, value team members received a challenge coin in appreciation of their participation in the project. Historically, challenge coins were presented by unit commanders in recognition of special achievement by a member of the unit. 100 challenge coins were presented throughout the project.
Self Perform Team
To facilitate the quick schedule and ensure both quality and safety, DPR self performed 45% of the project scope. EIG played a prominent part providing both electrical and low voltage as well as the addition of a dedicated Project Manager on the DPR project team. Through trade partner partnerships, DPR was able to reduce the project’s total cost by more than 40% saving Veterans Bridge Home over $100,000 in construction costs.
Home Team
The VBH project is the recipient of Lowe’s Home Improvement community project known as “Home Team.” The initiative unites NFL players representing every team in the league and fans around a community connection. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers running back, served as the captain of Lowe’s “Home Team” and Sir Purr, the Panthers mascot, even visited the project team to thank them for their efforts! A majority of the project materials were furnished by Lowe’s. DPR wrote subcontracts to trade partners to furnish labor only and then orders were placed and picked up at the Lowe’s Home Improvement at Iverson Way in Charlotte, NC.